


If We

by reyisobel



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M, Pre-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-10
Updated: 2018-05-10
Packaged: 2019-05-04 16:40:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,257
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14597229
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reyisobel/pseuds/reyisobel
Summary: In a bar somewhere in Scotland, Steve and Natasha play a game they’d invented months back when the pressure had become too much.





	If We

   “I can’t believe I let you talk me into this” Steve says, the exhaustion clear in his voice.

   “Oh come on, it’ll be fun and we haven’t had any leads on Vision and Wanda in weeks.” Natasha replies, dragging him down the street before stopping at the corner.

Steve eyes the bar carefully, small and dimly lit, he winces when he hears the loud music every time the doors swing open. Above the bar’s usual sign there’s a white banner that reads “Costume Night! Come in your best”. He watches as people pour out, witnesses a guy dressed as Thor and already missing one shoe get dragged out by his three buddies.

     “I’m too old for this” He mutters to himself.

     “Quit being an angsty grandpa, let’s go”

     “Wait. What if we get recognized?”

     “Steve, nobody’s seen us in two years and you have all this going on” She waves her hand around her chin area.

The beard. He wishes her and Sam would just get over it.

     “Come on”

He allows her to lead him inside and plop him down on a stool right by the bar. The place’s interior is old and wooden, had it not been for the people snapping selfies and the brightly colored costumes he’d have felt transported back to his days celebrating his victories with the Howling Commandos.

Natasha returns with two pints and passes the other to Steve. He watches her down the glass in one chug with a raised eyebrow, she just shrugs.

     “Hey we should play ‘If We’ “

     “If We?”

It was a game they invented when they were hiding somewhere in Berlin, when the dark and the loneliness seemed to envelope them more than usual. It was a simple enough game and did a great job at lifting the spirits.

He takes a swig of his drink before turning towards her.

     “Sure, why not”

     “You know the rules, any question, anything you’ve been thinking about, but it’s got to start with ‘If We’ “

     “Alright. If we don’t get back now we might get our covers blown” Steve says with his arms crossed.

Natasha sticks her tongue out at him.

      “If we don’t go out every once in awhile we’ll eventually become crazy recluses” She counters.

      “We go out plenty of times.”

      “Yeah to stalk people through the bushes. Not fun.”

He offers his drink to her and she shakes her head.

Just then, the music changes and the DJ takes the mic to announce that he’s going to “slow it down a bit, for all you lovebirds out there”. Some people in the crowd let out groans of annoyance and most decide to shuffle to the sides to get drinks. Slowly, couples start making their way to the dance floor.

They sit together awkwardly, averting their gaze each time they accidentally make eye contact with the other.

She’s first in breaking the silence, with a loud laugh.

     “What are we doing? We’re acting like two teenagers at prom! Come on, let’s dance!”

     “I won't ever be able to say no to you huh?” He says with a light chuckle.

She tries to ignore how her cheeks tinge pink when he says that and He ignores how his hands heat up when she holds his.

Perhaps something had developed in the two years they’ve been working underground— perhaps that something had always been there. Some unspoken thing that they just understood. They’ve decided long ago not to entertain it, they were too occupied with far more important things anyway.  

 

 

 

> _who do you want me to be?_
> 
> _how about a friend?_

 

He spins her and she laughs.

In here they weren’t earth’s mightiest heroes or fugitives running from the law or the war hero and the spy.

No, in here they didn’t stick out at all.

Inside this obscure little bar, surrounded by people dressed in cheesy costumes, they were just another couple, swaying along to some forgotten 70’s ballad.

She pulls him closer and rests her head on his chest and he returns the gesture by wrapping his arms around her shoulders.

They don’t have to say anything to each other, they already know what the other is thinking. This entire night? the dancing, the laughing, the games, everything being so...normal? It’s fleeting. They can never have it-and when whatever big bad finally comes bursting through the atmosphere nothing would ever be the same.

So for now they hold each other a little closer and play pretend. After 2 years of running heaven knows they deserve it.

“Hey Steve” she starts in a voice barely louder than a whisper

“Yeah?”

“If we make it out of this…” she pauses and he feels her grip tighten on his shirt. “-If we make it out of this, can we start over somewhere nice?”

“If I make it out of this-“ he replies . He uses “I” partly because deep down he knows that there’s no outcome in this story where he ends up on top (partly because he doesn’t like the idea of anyone else but him laying down their lives for the cause).

“-then I’ll come find you and we can get out of here...Move somewhere else, somewhere quiet, start a life…”

“Kids?” she asks.

 _Kids?_ Any other night she would’ve beaten herself up over saying something like that. Tonight though, she allows herself to indulge in dreaming. Something inside makes her think they might not get another chance like this.

“Sure”

There’s a long pause before he starts again “They’d have your eyes.” he says and this makes her smile

“Your smile…” she counters

“You like my smile?” he pushes back and looks at her with one eyebrow raised, that signature coy half-smile on his lips. She rolls her eyes at him.

“Your smile AND you’re annoying sense of righteousness.”

He laughs.

“That’s fair.”

They both stop and look at each other, so much has changed and yet one thing remains the same, it’s him and her against the world.

Steve carefully brushes a stray strand of hair from her face and she places a hand behind his neck.

Maybe the universe could let them have this one thing, maybe they could have each other.

_Maybe they’ve always had each other._

Before either of them can lean in, Steve feels a tap on his shoulder and turns to find Sam wide-eyed and panting.

“I found Vision and Wanda.”

 

* * *

 

 

 

They both stand together in the Princess’ lab, you’d think they’d be more excited about reuniting with everyone but the situation is dire.

This time it really felt like the end. During every other mission they’d felt pressure, you always do when you throw your life on the line, but this time it seemed like there was no getting out of this.

“We should’ve stayed in that bar” She says chuckling, willing herself not to let the tears in her eyes fall.

He moves first, places a shaky hand on her cheek that she leans into.

“If we both make it out of this-” She starts.

Steve simply presses a kiss to her forehead.

“If we both make it out of this.” He echoes.

Hours later when they both stand at the front line of what looks to be the end of the world, those words they uttered to each other become more than just a game.

_It’s a promise._

_It’s their promise._

_When the outriders rush through the forcefield, When they get knocked down by rock and flame, When they're beaten and broken…_

_It’s what keeps them going._

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> when i found out that steve and natasha spent the two years steve's been on the run together my romanogers heart just soared, hence this fic came about
> 
> hope you enjoyed reading! 
> 
> x
> 
> p.s i had someone on tumblr ask what 70s song was in the story, i listened to "fooled around and fell in-love" and "no one but you" (this song actually came out in 2002) when i was writing this!


End file.
